…
…
"I love you."
…
…
"I love both of you."
Subaru opened his eyes and jerked around from the shock of dying. His hands were bound behind his back and Lye and 'Subaru' stood before him. Lucky for Subaru, their return points were linked and 'Subaru' had returned by death while facing away from Subaru, so the archbishop didn't know that Subaru had returned. Now Subaru, in his dazed state of mind, just had to hope that 'Subaru' hadn't gone through another loop. The archbishop turned to face Subaru with an annoyed look on his face.
'Subaru': "Damn it. That damn oni bitch just exploded my throat, man that hurt."
Subaru nearly let out a sigh of relief before swiftly realizing that it would have been a terrible mistake. Subaru did his best to repeat this interaction like his last loop.
Subaru: "Wait, did you just return just now."
'Subaru': "Yeah, that Ram was tougher than I thought."
Subaru: "Heh serves you right, Ram exploded my neck once before, it was awful."
'Subaru': "That's what you get for trusting an oni."
Subaru: "Wait… I-"
'Subaru': "All that matters is that I confirmed that the disguise worked, and if I retrace my steps right, I'll still get ahold of Beatrice and choke her with my miasma."
Subaru pretended to be shocked by this revelation, and by the look on the archbishop's face, his bluff was effective.
'Subaru': "That's right, I'm going to kill you with your own spirit."
'Subaru' said this last line with noticeable fanfare. Subaru pretended to be shocked by this revelation, which was helped by the memory of 'Subaru's' success in doing so. Then the archbishop left the room and Lye turned to lead Subaru to the carriage outside. Subaru needed to think of a plan, if he was restrained in the carriage again there would be nothing he could do, so he needed to act now. As they walked through the bowels of the temple, Subaru plotted his escape. As he thought he started to walk slower and Lye pushed him forward.
Lye: "No stopping hero, we don't want our hero's plan to fail."
It was that push that finally clicked an idea into place in his mind. He knew what he had to do, he was going to take what was stolen from him. He turned to face Lye and braced himself.
Subaru: "Lye… I can use Return by De-"
Time stopped. Lye's ghoulish grin was frozen in place before his eyes as shadows crept in from the corners of his vision. He felt the cold presence of envy creep along his back and he knew that she was there, just behind him. He could feel her cheek against his as she drew in closer. He felt her hands slowly shift through his body, creeping towards his heart.
Satella: "I love you… I love both of you."
Subaru: "Yeah whatever, just get it over with."
Subaru wasn't sure how he was able to voice the words, especially since he hadn't moved his mouth, but when the words rang out Satella hesitated for a second, clearly hurt by what he had said. Her hands clenched around his heart, crushing it tighter than ever before. The pain, the fear, the envy coursed through his body embedding themselves deep within him. After avoiding this pain for as long as he had it now felt worse than ever. Then, just as quickly as it had started, it dissipated, and time resumed its normal speed.
Lye: "Huh, what did you say… Woah, you smell like our hero?"
Subaru took a deep breath, burying the pain from the witch of envy as best he could. He may not be able to generate miasma as easily as 'Subaru' could but that didn't mean he was incapable of doing so. Once he was ready, he spoke to Lye in a confident and demanding tone.
Subaru: "That's because it is me, Lye! Seriously, you really dropped the ball on this one."
Lye: "What?"
Lye seemed utterly bewildered by what Subaru had said; he certainly hadn't expected banter from a prisoner. Lye sniffed the air almost as if to confirm his suspicions but it only seemed to make him more confused. Subaru did his best to talk to Lye as if they had been friends for a long time.
Subaru: "Geeze Lye, try to keep up, you can eat memories but you can't even remember which Subaru is which?"
Lye: "Wait… wait wait wait. No no no no no, you are the other one. You cannot trick us. Our friend Subaru told us not to trust you, tsu~"
Subaru: "Yeah, exactly. The other Subaru switched our places as part of his plan. The idea was that you wouldn't listen to me because he told you not to, but I'm the real archbishop of envy. C'mon, I figured that if anyone could recognize my scent it would be you."
Lye seemed conflicted and confused. To be fair, even Subaru didn't fully understand what he had just told Lye, but that was the point. If he could just sew enough doubt, he might be able to make the archbishop a temporary ally.
Subaru: "C'mon Lye, don't you trust your hero, when have I ever led you astray. I always have a plan when you need it, and no matter the struggle I always come out on top. That's why I'm your hero, remember."
[C'mon Rem, convince him for me. I'm counting on you Rem, save me one last time.]
Subaru pleaded for Rem's memories to help convince Lye. Subaru could feel tension creep across his back as Lye tried to make sense of the situation. Lye was the only card he could play, and if this play failed, he would undoubtedly be killed… permanently. Finally, Lye looked up and spoke to Subaru.
Lye: "So the delicious one, the savory one, the one we want to eat… tricked us, tsu~. We will gnaw, we will bite, we will chew him until there is nothing left, tsu~. What should we do, hero."
[THANK YOU REM!]
Subaru nearly shouted the words out loud but managed to contain himself. He gathered his thoughts and quickly came up with a plan. It was a risky and extremely dangerous plan, but it was the only one he could think of.
Subaru: "Okay Lye, first, untie me."
Lye: "Yes, of course, hero."
Lye swiftly cut the ropes binding Subaru's arms in place and Subaru rubbed his sore wrists. He turned to Lye and did all he could to resist trying to kill him, and instead treat him like they were old friends. The feeling killed Subaru inside, but he pressed on.
Subaru: "Thanks. Now we need to make the other Subaru think that his plan is working, so go along with the rest of the plan you had discussed with him, but whatever you do, don't eat anyone's names, we need them alive for now."
Lye: "You promised us a meal, tsu~. But yet all you say is that we cannot feast, tsu~."
Subaru: "Don't worry, if you don't eat any of them now, once we're done, I'll let you eat all of them."
Lye's face lit up as Subaru spoke his lie. Subaru could feel his guts tightening as he told Lye he could eat his friends. But nevertheless, he continued.
Subaru: "Great, you go get ready for your part of the plan, and I'll do mine."
Lye: "Yes! Our hero has a plan once again, tsu~. We will feast, tsu~!"
Lye turned to retreat down the hallway. Subaru watched him go until he was sure he was out of earshot before letting out a huge sigh of relief.
Subaru: "Holy crap, I was sure he wouldn't believe me."
Subaru thought about Rem, trapped inside that horrible creature, yet still helping him win the day.
Subaru: "Thanks Rem… don't worry, I will save you. But first, I've got to save everyone else."
Subaru turned and ran down the hallway towards the exit. As he ran he went through his plan on how to defeat the archbishop of envy.
Subaru: "First, I need to get rid of his reinforcements, all the cultists should be at the carriages outback. If I can convince them to leave, then we will outnumber them. Next, I'll intercept the group that initially headed to the carriage and convince them that I am their Subaru. If I can do that, then my next job is stopping Julius from turning to the dark side."
Subaru's voice trailed off for a moment as he remembered the look of blind madness and rage that had consumed his stowek friend. He needed to make that right, for his sake and for Julius.
Subaru: "Then I'll save Ram and Beatrice, and then I'll fight Subaru."
Subaru had no Idea what challenges he would face in order to accomplish these tasks, but whatever they were, he intended to defeat them. He thought this last thought just as the warm glow of sunlight engulfed him and he was staring at the carriages being loaded by the cultists. After a moment's hesitation, Subaru strode towards them with mock authority and spoke to the cultists.
Subaru: "Okay guys, plans changed. I'm gonna need you to start riding into the forest. We need to get you guys as far away from here as…"
Subaru trailed off as the cultists swiftly obeyed his initial order, without waiting to hear his reasoning. They moved silently, not even stopping to question his instruction or authority. Subaru stood in mild horror at the willingness they all had to follow their leader's orders. Subaru stopped one of them from moving around and pulled off his hood out of curiosity. It was an ordinary-looking man, who simply stared straight ahead, his eyes never blinking once.
Subaru: "It's like they're zombies, following any order without questioning."
Subaru watched as, in seconds, their carriages were loaded up and they took off into the forest. Subaru was still a little shocked by the cultists' level of efficiency and neglect in questioning their instruction, but quickly came to his senses when a familiar smell touched his nostrils.
Subaru: "Miasma."
Black, putrid mist was billowing out of the temple exit. Subaru knew what would happen once he reentered the temple, the blind aggression, the madness, the urge to murder his friends. But he also knew that he had to go back in to save them. He drew in his last breath of fresh air and dove back into the temple.
Subaru wound his way through the halls, trying his best to keep his calm state of mind. As the miasma twisted his mind his anxiety began to grow. He wasn't sure if his friends would all be alive, or if he could even save them all. As he approached the main hall he began to hear voices, one of which was identical to his own. Subaru crouched in the entrance to the hallway and craned his ears to listen in to what they were saying.
Garfiel: "I don't care about what makes more sense ta you. I told ya I'm goin with Ram."
'Subaru': "That a pretty rude way to address your boss."
Garfiel: "Then act like ma boss. Ya been actin weird all day."
Subaru: "Damn… either Garfiel is more perceptive than I thought or the miasma is really messing with his brain. Didn't Subaru say that the miasma would affect him more because of his beast blood?"
Subaru whispered this to himself as he listened to the interaction. Next Emilia spoke up, the madness already clear in the tone of her voice.
Emilia: "We need to find that cultist quickly, especially after what he did to you Subaru."
'Subaru': "Yes, exactly. That's why we need to split up. Julius will go alone down that path. Emilia and Wilhelm will go down that path, and me, Ram, and I suppose Garfiel will go down this last path."
Emilia: "But…"
'Subaru': "No buts, this is our best plan. When have my plans ever failed you?"
None of Subaru's friends said anything but Subaru himself seethed with rage. The archbishop had interrupted Emilia, and in his miasma-induced rage, Subaru was about to lose it. But some small inkling in his mind told him to hold off, it was a desperate feeling in his heart about saving his friends. He remained quiet, but the rage was boiling just under the surface.
Soon after, the group began to split up and Wilhelm and Emilia began to move with their group of mercenaries towards his hiding spot. Subaru darted back down the hallway, intending on intercepting them and convincing them that he was their Subaru. He hid behind a corner and began taking off the cultist's robes until he was wearing black pants and an orange and black shirt.
Subaru: "This'll have to do."
After a few minutes' wait, Wilhelm and Emilia could be heard coming down the hallway. Subaru prepared himself for the encounter and stepped out in front of them with his arms held in the air.
Subaru: "I come in… peace."
In a movement faster than the human mind could register, Subaru found himself staring down the length of Wilhelms blade, centimeters from his face. Panic surged through Subaru's body and he froze like a deer in headlights. Wilhelm was the sword demon, and Subaru did not want to know what he would be like under the miasma's effects. Wilhelm's eyes were transfixed on Subaru's, as if he were measuring him, judging his character. After several heart-stopping seconds, he lowered his blade.
Wilhelm: "Subaru."
Subaru: "Wilhelm! Thank god, I was so scared I nearly cried. How did you know it was me?"
Wilhelm: "I know you. I know what kind of a person you are. I see that person in you, and I didn't see that person in the Subaru I just spoke to. He is like you in almost every way, looks, mannerisms, speech patterns, but his eyes… they held a malevolent, love-lost malice in them, and I don't see that in you."
Once again, Subaru marveled at the skill and state of mind that Wilhelm possessed. To be able to resist the miasma to such a degree that he could see such imperceptible details was nearly inconceivable. Then Subaru turned to look at Emilia and his heart sank. She held her palms towards him and her eyes were glazed over with madness. Her face was twisted in a confused rage and she turned to Wilhelm.
Emilia: "Why didn't you kill him. We're supposed to kill him, kill him!"
Wilhelm: "Actually, we were specifically told not to kill him, which is strange. An archbishop telling us not to kill Subaru is not something one would expect. Subaru, do you have some death-activated ability?"
Subaru was astonished at Wilhelm's deductive ability. As Subaru stared in awe at Wilhelm he realized that he was waiting for an answer.
Subaru: "Yes, kind of. I can't explain it. But the other Subaru has the same power, which is why I need you guys to follow my plan, and if possible Wilhelm, could you not tell anyone about what you said."
Wilhelm nodded slowly.
Wilhelm: "I understand. What is your plan?"
Subaru: "All you need to do is go wait outside at the exit. I'll come to you when it is time to act."
Wilhelm: "Understood. Good luck Sir Subaru Natsuki."
Hearing Wilhelm call him by his official title felt strange to Subaru. To be called sir by someone as great as Wilhelm felt undeserved. But it was Wilhelms' way of showing his respect to Subaru so Subaru accepted the response.
Subaru: "Yeah, you too Wilhelm."
Emilia: "Wait, what is happening?"
Wilhelm: "I'll explain as we walk, come with me, Emilia."
As the group continued down the hallway, Subaru felt a sense of relief in his heart. He knew that Emilia would be safe with Wilhelm. Subaru turned back to head down the hall once again, with a new sense of confidence in his plan. Next was Julius, and Subaru knew that this one was going to be the hardest to pull off.
Julius: "I don't deserve to be a knight."
Julius said this to himself as he knelt at the witch factor's altar. His mind had been cleared by his spirits, who now slept within him. He knew they would likely leave him without his divine protection, but he didn't care. The pull of pride still called to him, drawing him closer to the edge of madness.
Julius: "I am prideful… I am pride."
Julius lifted himself off the ground and began to approach the purple twisting mass. The cultists around the altar began to hum softly as Julius outstretched his hand towards the witch factor.
Julius: "I am pride."
Subaru: "No!"
Julius stopped, stunned by the sudden outburst. Julius turned around to meet Subaru's eyes. Subaru could see what the miasma had done to his friend. Julius stared numbly at Subaru, his eyes were full of self-loathing and madness. He believed that he was a prideful person and that he needed to accept it. Subaru could see that in his miasma twisted mind, at this moment, Julius saw himself as a prideful villain. Subaru thought back to their fight, how both of them fought for their own pride, and how Julius had beaten him. Subaru thought back to when Julius felt the need to use an alias when they fought Betelgeuse so he wouldn't be recognized while acting as a mercenary. But Subaru also knew who Julius really was, he may be prideful, but he was also a hero, and Subaru needed to remind him of that before the miasma sent him into true madness.
Subaru: "Julius! What the hell are you thinking?!"
Julius: "What? What do you mean?"
Subaru shouted at Julius to get his attention and assert himself as an authority figure. In Julius's state of mind, Subaru was unsure if it had been effective. Julius responded morosely, but nevertheless, had his attention on Subaru.
Subaru: "You idiot, you think that you're pride because you are proud of yourself? Do you honestly think that simply being proud makes you prideful? You should take pride in your work, you should take pride in your accomplishments, you should take pride in your life!"
Julius: "Shut up! You know better than anyone that I am pride. I challenged you, beat you mercilessly, and for what?! To protect my pride, that's what."
Subaru: "No you're wrong, do you remember what you said to me that day?"
As Subaru spoke he began to move closer to Julius and the altar. Julius made no move to stop him.
Subaru: "You said that any person who would invoke that look on the one they claim loyalty to is not a knight. And you were right. I wasn't saying those things for Emilia, I was saying them for myself, for my pride. That's why you fought me, to extinguish my pride."
Subaru didn't believe everything he was saying, but it was what Julius needed to hear. Subaru stood next to Julius and the altar as he continued.
Subaru: "You're not pride Julius, you're the opposite of pride. If anyone is pride… it's me, and it's time I accepted that."
Subaru slammed his palm onto the swirling mass. All the cultists gasped in shock as the writhing mass coiled through Subaru's body. He could feel it, writhing and slithering through him, until it settled on his soul. It wrapped itself around it and gave Subaru an eerily strange feeling, a feeling he had only ever felt twice before. When he defeated Betelgeuse and gained sloth, and when he came to this world and gained envy. Now he had pride, and Julius seemed to be coming to his senses now that the temptation of the witch factor was gone.
Julius: "S-Subaru? You just-?"
Subaru: "Don't worry about it, I'm just glad to have you back to your senses… Julius."
Cultist: "The sage has taken pride… we must retreat."
One of the cultists spoke in a panic and all of the cultists disappeared into the shadows. Now Subaru and Julius were alone and Subaru turned back to talk to Julius.
Subaru: "I have a plan to beat the evil me… go down the hallway where Emilia and Wilhelm went, you'll meet up with them there."
Julius: " Wait…What about you."
Subaru's face clouded over with determined rage.
Subaru: "I'm going to get my spirit back."
Subaru was running down the last hallway as fast as he could. His heart pounded to the beat of his footfalls as he jogged down the dark cavern. He could hear shouting and fighting in the next room and he increased his pace. Then just as he was about to turn the corner, he stopped. He could hear Ram and Garfiel fighting 'Subaru', but under the effects of the miasma, he didn't have much faith that his friends could win. Subaru looked around the corner to absorb the situation. Garfiel was striking 'Subaru' rapidly, but it seemed to have little effect. Ram was launching wind spells at 'Subaru' but they also didn't seem to be doing much. 'Subaru' seemed perfectly in control and Subaru knew that it would be over soon if he didn't do something.
Subaru: "But what I do has to cause enough confusion so that he doesn't use return by death."
Subaru knew what he had to do. He knew it would be painful, and even potentially deadly, but to save his friends, he would do anything. He locked his eyes on Beatrice and grasped at his chest in preparation.
Subaru: "Beatrice is going to scold me for this later, but I have no choice."
Subaru took a deep breath and shouted for all to hear.
Subaru: "SHAMAK!"
Subaru felt as a piece of his od was spent to cast the spell. A pain like nothing he had ever experienced before tore through his body like a hurricane. It felt as if a piece of his mind, a piece of who he was as a person was torn to pieces and scattered to oblivion. A pain that no living being should have been able to handle was still no match for Subaru's determination. Black smoke filled the hallway and all three combatants turned in surprise before being engulfed in the darkness. Subaru ran forward, against the pain, and scooped up Beatrice from the archbishop's grasp. Subaru felt as Beatrice greedily ate away at his stored-up mana and slowly came back to her senses. As Beatrice wrapped her arms around Subaru, he used his two free hands to grab at Garfiel and Ram and lead them back down the hallway towards the exit.
'Subaru': "The hell was that? Can Garfiel use Yin magic?"
Subaru kept running, leaving the confused archbishop behind in the empty hallway. After a while of running, they made it back into the main hallway and Ram pulled free of Subaru's grip.
Ram: "What the hell is going on?!"
Beatrice: "SUBARU!"
Beatrice, having come back to her senses began to hug Subaru tighter and tighter. Subaru returned the gesture, having missed his spirit companion. Then she slapped him across the face.
Beatrice: "What were you thinking, I suppose? You should never have let yourself be captured in the first place, in fact. You left Betty all alone. Then you spend part of your od to save me. That is insanity, I suppose. You could have died!"
Subaru: "Worse than that, I could have died forever."
Beatrice: "That's what dying means, I suppose!"
Beatrice's anger quickly subsided after that, then she hugged him again.
Beatrice: "Don't leave me again, I suppose."
Subaru: "Never again Beatrice."
Garfiel had a look of confusion on his face and he was clearly trying to make sense of what had happened. Ram simply looked at Subaru with contempt.
Garfiel: "Wait… Boss? The real boss? Or is it a trick? I'm starting ta get really pissed off."
Ram: "He's the real Subaru, I'd recognize that insufferable smile anywhere."
Subaru: "As jaded as always Ram, now c'mon, the others are waiting outside."
Subaru had just one last part to his plan, and if this failed he was done for. If his theory was correct, he could manufacture a return by death save point. If he was wrong then there was no way he could win.
All of Subaru's allies sat in a circle outside the temple. The scene seemed reminiscent of the war council that took place after the defeat of the white whale. At least, Subaru hoped it was. Subaru now knew that return by death worked by sending the soul back in time to a point where his destiny met a crossroads. Which meant it updated at a crucial decision, after a victory, or within enough time for him to survive an event. If he could convince his authority that this counted as a crossroads in his destiny, he could update both of their save points to right now, and cement his victory over 'Subaru'. The best way Subaru could think to do that would be to present multiple options on how to proceed.
Subaru: "So, we escaped the temple and are now free of the miasma, but the two archbishops are still in there, what should we do now?"
Garfiel: "What do ya mean? We go in there and we kill them! We have the advantage now, what are we waiting for?"
Wilhelm: "When fighting an enemy as strategic and as versatile as this one, we have to be cautious. This other Subaru has already proven himself to be cunning and ruthless. Charging in blindly would be a poor decision."
Garfiel: "Hk-... I guess that's true."
Emilia: "Is it possible to reason with him? If he is like Subaru then maybe there's something good in him."
Subaru: "Always the optimist Mili, but unfortunately I tried that and he is way too far gone."
Ram: "Also he orchestrated the extinction of my people and the attack on my village, mercy is not acceptable to me."
Subaru: "Seriously?! I didn't even know that."
Julius: "Then we agree that he must be taken down now."
Subaru: "I agree, but unfortunately there is a problem. I'm a little hesitant to reveal this because I can't explain how I know but, if we kill him, it will only make him stronger."
Ram: "What?! How the hell does that make sense?"
Subaru: "I can't explain it very well, but he can only be killed permanently in one very specific way, if we kill him any other way, he'll just come back stronger than last time."
Wilhelm and Julius seemed to take this information at face value. Garfiel cursed under his breath, which told Subaru that he believed him. Emilia seemed confused but Subaru knew that she trusted him. Beatrice trusted Subaru unconditionally, and Ram seemed unconvinced.
Ram: "If we can't kill him then what do we do."
Julius: "Simple, we arrest them. We are knights after all."
Julius said this as he referred to himself, Wilhelm, and Subaru unreluctantly. Ram didn't seem happy with this solution, but a lack of options forced her to agree to their plan.
Subaru: "Excellent, then all we have to do is…"
'Subaru': "DAMN IT ALL!"
The group lept to their feet and turned to face the entrance to the temple. Black miasma billowed out of the entrance like a forbidden tomb. Julius and Wilhelm drew their swords and Ram pulled out her wand. The suspension grew as they heard the sound of twin blades scraping against the stone floor of the cave. The awful scraping became louder and louder until 'Subaru Natsuki' and Lye Batenkitos emerged from the cave, both wearing very angry faces.
Lye: "You tricked us hero, tsu~. We trusted you, tsu~!"
'Subaru': "Damn you Subaru. Damn all of you."
Subaru: "I assume this means you've already tried going back."
'Subaru': "How? How did you do it? How did you update the save point? I don't even know how to do that!"
Subaru: "I just did what we're both good at, befriending witches."
'Subaru': "I'm not friends with any witch, my finance is Satella, not the witch of envy."
Wilhelm: "You were going to marry the witch?"
'Subaru': "I'm going to marry Satella after I take the witch of envy out of her."
Julius: "How perverse. I've heard enough from you. I'm the knight Julius Juuklius, and for your crimes against the kingdom of Lugnica, I shall defeat you."
'Subaru' stared at Julius with a look of contempt on his face.
'Subaru': "You're pathetic. I hate knights like you. But fine, I'll play your game."
Miasma began to pour out of the archbishop as he spoke, filling the field around them.
'Subaru': "I am the sin archbishop of the witch's cult, representing Envy, Subaru Natsuki."
Lye: "We are the sin archbishop of the witch's cult, representing Gluttony, Lye Batenkitos."
Everyone in the field tensed up as they prepared for battle. Everyone was ready for the slightest action to begin the battle. Then something unexpected happened.
'Subaru': "Ul Shamak!"
That caught Subaru off guard. Darkness engulfed their entire group. Subaru felt nothing, saw nothing, heard nothing, tasted nothing, smelled nothing, and thought nothing. Everything was blank and empty. He didn't know how much time had passed until the world came back and he was standing in the same spot as before, all of his friends were there, and they were all fine.
Subaru: "What happened."
Beatrice: "He cast Shamak then left, I suppose."
Subaru: "What? Why the hell would he do that?"
'Subaru' and Lye managed to catch up with the cultist's carriage that was waiting in the forest. Both archbishops were sulking due to their humiliating retreat. 'Subaru' had accepted that it was his only option but Lye was seriously angry.
Lye: "Why did we retreat? We could have beaten them."
'Subaru': "We had no choice, Subaru had us in checkmate. I couldn't loop back further than our meeting in the main hall, which means that Subaru secured himself in a superior position. In addition, if any of his friends died, he could just loop back in time, and keep doing so until he won. Not to mention, they had us outnumbered, there was no way we could have won."
Lye seemed confused by some of 'Subaru's statements so 'Subaru' explained.
'Subaru': "Normally the gospel forbids us to explain our authorities to others, but since we'll be fighting Subaru in the future, you should know. The two of us loop through time when we die."
Understanding dawned in Lye's face and they took in the news.
Lye: "That's why both heroes didn't want us to kill the other, tsu~"
'Subaru': "Yes, that's right."
As the two archbishops approached the carriage a cultist rushed over to greet them.
Cultist: "Sir, the honored guest has arrived."
'Subaru': "Finally some good news. Where is my old friend?"
'Subaru' ran over to where the cultist had indicated and saw his old friend. This was exactly what he needed, he had no doubt that Subaru would be on his trail, and this was his chance to slow them down.
'Subaru': "Hey there, long time no see old friend."
?: "...Subaru. ...Good to see you, I guess."
'Subaru': "Listen a group of knights and mercenaries are following us, I need you to slow them down while we make our way to Lugnica. I can no longer keep my existence a secret, so it's finally time to put my plan into motion and resurrect Satella. Just destroy their carriage or something, but whatever you do, don't kill any of them."
?: "...okay."
Otto put the ground dragons into a full gallop in the direction Ram indicated. Ram had used her clairvoyance to find out where the archbishops had gone, and now they were speeding through the forest after them. Subaru's heart was pounding and his mind was racing. He wanted to catch this archbishop and make him pay for all the stuff he had put him through.
Ram: "Were almost on top of them… who is that?"
Subaru: "Who is who?"
Ram: "I'm not sure, someone I've never seen before is standing in the middle of the road."
Subaru: "Otto, when you see him, don't let him stop us."
Otto: "Got i-"
Otto never finished his sentence because the carriage was propelled upward through the air by an invisible force and thrown upside down into the road. Everyone in the carriage was thrown from their seats and were slammed into the ground as the carriage blasted into splinters. Subaru felt his head spin as he tried to regain his bearings.
Wilhelm: "Quick, everyone out of the carriage!"
Wilhelm helped Subaru into a crouch and escorted him swiftly out of the carriage. Everyone else followed suit just in time before something else slammed into the carriage and blasted it into dust. The dust clouded Subaru's eyes and made his cough hard. He looked around and saw that everyone else was dealing with similar problems. Subaru looked around for the person who attacked them and saw a glimpse of purple and white clothing.
?: "...That ought to...slow you down."
His voice was slow and full of melancholy. He almost seemed bored by what was happening. Wilhelm was the first to get to his feet and he charged the figure. The strange man didn't even flinch, he began to glow purple and Wilhelm was launched backward at high speed and slammed into a tree. The roots and branches of the tree seemed to move and twist unnaturally and they tied Wilhelm in place.
?: "...That was annoying. I just wanted to...slow you down. That's all."
Subaru could see the man clearly now, he had a long face, pale skin, and purple hair. And his clothes looked like something Roswaal would wear. Subaru had heard about him only as a description, but he could recognize the genuine article. He knew who it was and the realization chilled him to the bone.
Subaru: "You're Hector! The witch of melancholy!"
Hector: "...Warlock of melancholy, but whatever you know who I am anyway."
Garfiel: "Wait, a witch, as in one of the seven witches of sin?"
Subaru: "Nine witches would be more accurate. You remember Ryuuzu's story right, he attacked the sanctuary when the barrier first went up."
Garfiel: "That was him?! You caused a lot of suffering you bastard!"
Garfiel lunged at the warlock but he was swiftly slammed into the ground by an unseen force. Then slammed again and again and again.
Hector: "I guess I could do this all day… but I've lost interest. I've done my part… I'll be seeing you around… Subaru Natsuki. You can be sure of that."
With that, Hector disappeared down the path, leaving Subaru and his party to walk back to the capital. Which, oddly enough, was exactly where the cultists were heading.
Authors note: I just wanted to give another thank you to people who are sticking with this story. This marks the end of part two of the story. There are three parts in total, one at the carriage, one at the temple, and the final one at the capital. I have really enjoyed writing this and the best way to support me is still to comment. Thanks again and sorry for the long wait.